Gordon's 'Superman' catch helps seal victory

SEATTLE -- Although Dee Gordon started the season as the Mariners' center fielder, he's also a former Gold Glove Award winner at second base, and he showed why on Thursday night.

The speedster darted and dove to his right to snag an Ian Kinsler line drive with two runners on and two outs in the eighth inning, making a sensational play to help preserve a lead in a 4-1 win over the Angels at Safeco Field.

SEATTLE -- Although Dee Gordon started the season as the Mariners' center fielder, he's also a former Gold Glove Award winner at second base, and he showed why on Thursday night.

The speedster darted and dove to his right to snag an Ian Kinsler line drive with two runners on and two outs in the eighth inning, making a sensational play to help preserve a lead in a 4-1 win over the Angels at Safeco Field.

"It looked like Superman was flying through the outfield, and somehow the ball magically landed in his glove," Mariners catcher Chris Herrmann said. "What an unbelievable play. I know Dee has only been there a month and a half now, but I think he's a second baseman at heart."

The ball was struck at 71.8 mph, per Statcast™. The Mariners utilized a light shift on Kinsler, so Gordon started the play behind and slightly to the right of the bag at second.

"I just saw the ball go to the middle," Gordon said. "Glad he hit it a little softer, and I was able to make the play. ... It's instinct."

A Kinsler hit would have extended the inning and brought Shohei Ohtani to the plate. The two-way Japanese star had the day off after starting at designated hitter in the first two games of the series and was in the on-deck circle to pinch-hit when Gordon made the play.

Kinsler, a former Gold Glove Award winner at second base himself, was impressed by Gordon's effort.

"It's a very difficult play," Kinsler said. "That ball was kind of floating in the air. He mistimed his jump a little bit, so that's what caused him to really stretch out like that, because the ball is hit on the line, and sometimes in the infield, you can't tell really how hard it's hit until it's about halfway, or until it gets to you. He was already in the air. He had to kind of adjust in the air."